Overactive bladder syndrome and sleep apnea like to coexist, suggest a study conducted among women in Spain, the results of which were presented at the Annual Congress of the European Society of Respiratory Pathophysiology in Vienna.
Bladder overactivity is manifested by pollakiuria, urinary incontinence, and frequent waking up at night (the so-called nocturia). It causes severe discomfort and reduces the quality of life. People suffering from sleep apnea often feel the need to urinate at night, but little has been done to analyze the relationship between the two syndromes, say scientists at Barcelona’s Hospital del Mar.
62 women suffering from sleep apnea were analyzed. The ladies filled out questionnaires on the occurrence and severity of bladder problems. Compared to the group not diagnosed with apnea, these participants experienced symptoms of an overactive bladder much more often.
Overactive bladder syndrome occurs in 16% of patients. Europeans over 40. Our research shows that these problems may be related to sleep apnea, although we do not know if one of these conditions can cause the other, notes the author of the study, Núria Grau.
The next step in our research will be to test the effect of CPAP therapy on the symptoms of an overactive bladder, says Grau.
CPAP (continous positive airway pressure) therapy, i.e. constant positive airway pressure, is a breathing support method used in people suffering from obstructive sleep apnea, which involves ventilation of the airways using a special air pump connected to the mask (PAP).
koc/ corfu/